You would think that our planet would have a pretty good handle on who here is capable of launching a rocket into the face of the moon, but apparently not.
That’s because this week, NASA scientists discovered a crater on the face of the moon that was created when a rogue rocket of unknown origin smashed into the surface of our lunar satellite.
NASA has discovered the crash site of a “mystery rocket body” that collided with the Moon’s surface earlier this year. The impact left behind a widespread “double crater,” meaning it wasn’t the average rocket.
However, since its crash landing, none of Earth’s space-exploring nations have claimed responsibility for the mysterious projectile, leaving NASA scientists baffled as to who was behind its launch. New images shared on June 24 by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter show the unusual impact site.
The story gets even stranger, too…
NASA stated that the two large masses on each end of the rocket may have caused the craters, but noted that the impact marks are highly unusual. Spent rockets, according to NASA, tend to have a heavy motor at one end and a lighter empty fuel tank on the other, scientists say. The space agency did not offer any guesses on what the additional mass was.
“Since the origin of the rocket body remains uncertain, the double nature of the crater may indicate its identity,” NASA said in a news release.
NASA had been tracking the rocket body as it hurtled toward the moon, and originally believed that it may have belonged to China.
The CCP, who are famous for their international obfuscation, have denied that possibility, deepening the mystery.
